WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 121112

The impact of this past summer's wildfires on Western states is examined by our first article today (1); but generous donors are being advised by consumer advocates to double-check the credentials of wildfire support groups to whom they are donating (2). Southern California-based Los Padres National Forest will be accepting applications at a job fair in Ventura this weekend (3); while the ongoing battle by San Diego Gas & Electric to recoup wildfire losses from 2007 by raising rates is revisited by the next article (4). Wildfire NOTD subscriber Tyler Miller sent along an article about the acquisition of Oregon-based Aero Air acquiring the firefighting assets from Butler Aircraft (5). An article from Colorado takes a worrisome look at the declining heavy air-tanker numbers in the US at a time when that state's fire season looks to be year round (6); while a Perry County, Kentucky, resident could face a fine and jail time for setting wildfires in October (7). Arborists helped the widow of a North Carolina National Guardsman who died when his C-130 crashed while fighting Western wildfires this summer (8); but a Florida Forest Service official commented on the unpredictability of wildfire conditions in that state (9). Brule, Alberta, will receive $500,000 from Canada's FireSmart Community Grant Program to help prevent wildfires in their area (10); and a new study from Columbia University's Earth Institute published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences looks at the impact of wildfires on South America's Amazon forest (11). A trio of bushfires in Taylor Pass near Blenheim, New Zealand, are being deemed "suspicious" by authorities (12). With the arrival of summer temperatures on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula during the holidays, homeowners are being warned of the elevated bushfire danger (13); even as an Erickson Air-Crane and an AT802 strutted their stuff at Ballarat Airport (14); but a man who fraudulently collected $111,000 in Black Saturday bushfire relief funds has avoided jail (15). Queensland Fire and Rescue Service continues to monitor a bushfire on North Stradbroke Island as it heads for Amity Point (16). Fire crews from Country Fire Service saved a home in Torbanlea, South Australia, threatened by a 65-hectare bushfire (17); even as officials in Adelaide are following up leads on nine suspicious bushfires as part of Operation Raptor(18). And finally, the International Association of Wildland Fire is having a wildfire photo contest!

(1) Wildfire Epidemic Leaves States Searching for Answers

(2) 2012 Year of wildfires and a superstorm: Be careful how you give

(3) Los Padres National Forest Holding Job Fair in Ventura

(4) Ramonan fears SDG&E will get OK to bill customers for 2007 wildfire costs

(5) Aero Air acquires Butler lease

(6) Firefighting tankers spread thin

(7) Man indicted in connection with forest fire

(8) Arborists group helps widow of man killed fighting fires

(9) How NASA satellites predict wildfire danger 30 years from now

(10) Brule receives funding to prevent wildfires

(11) As Amazon Urbanizes, Rural Fires Burn Unchecked

(12) Three fires at similar time 'suspicious'

(13) Peninsula heading back into a furnace

(14) Firefighting weapons unveiled in Ballarat

(15) No jail for man who fraudulently collected Black Saturday bushfire appeal funds

(16) Stradbroke Island bushfire - QLD

(17) Torbanlea home saved from raging bushfire

(18) Arson suspected in Adelaide bushfires

(19) Photo Contest